Zoloft: We understand your Blobbiness

In class we discussed scientific truth, and the advertising of prescription drugs. When thinking about it, I was alarmed to discover how many prescription drugs actually don't use people in their advertisements. One might think that pharmaceuticals would require a human demonstration, after all these drugs are generated to MATCH the human biology, but perhaps when marketing to people with "problems," the best way to entice an audience is to remove the problem from the person.

Immediately my mind runs to Zoloft. A little blog, two eyes and a frown, is used to create a relationship between ad and audience. We are supposed to relate to this blob, to see our emotions and actions in this blob, and mirror the blob in taking pharmaceutical action to counteract our depression. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vfSFXKlnO0

I find this representation of human depression a bit, unnerving (no pun intended). The commercial somehow rides the thin line between sad and depressed, not feeling well and being biologically unwell. The over simplification of the nervous system is also quite unsettling. However, from the mind of an advertiser, I can certainly see why they may have chosen this approach.

Just like in our discussion with birth control, there are certain items within the medicinal world that still remain taboo. Sex and Insanity seem to be two of these. However, a drug is developed, and our health care system allows us to become target markets. We are no longer prescribed drugs, we are consumers. The the worst possible thing an advertisement can do to its consumers is put the audience on the defense. So instead to stating what makes depression "depression" rather than just a bad day (or a bad month cough cough finals), they over simplify, they provide euphemisms that soften the blow, and people are no longer embarrassed and are willing to remain consumers. Furthermore, the use of the blob is not only a visual representation of this simplification, but also allows this drug to cater to the every-person, the wide audience of people, expanding their product placement to everyone, old, young, male, female, black, white, blob.

While it seems utterly ridiculous, it's still alarming to me how when I watch this commercial, you wonder "Hey, I feel like that blob! I want butterflies and no more rain clouds! Could I be depressed?"